Smile Again, My Love
by swanduck
Summary: Ludwig always viewed himself as an average person. One day in the rain, he meets Feliciano, a terminally-ill Italian that would soon change his entire life. Gerita, Human AU.
1. In the Rain

It was raining.

Ludwig heaved, closing the book that he was trying to read. Only minutes ago was the sun shining; a chance to finally relax and _this_ happened. He decided it was best to go home before he became fully drenched. He stood up from the bench he was sitting on and a voice stopped him from continuing.

"Hey, hey!" said the voice. "You're soaking wet! Don't you have an umbrella?" Before Ludwig could give a response, the stranger hoisted his umbrella over Ludwig's head. "Which way are you headed?"

"South to the apartment complex on Cedar Street." Ludwig then held his tongue, realizing it wasn't a good idea to give a stranger such information.

The stranger's eyes lit with excitement. "What a coincidence! I'm going there too! Let's walk together."

"I shouldn't be walking around with someone I don't know." Ludwig responded. He gave his goodbyes and thanked him for letting him use the umbrella, and soon went on his way.

As he walked, the stranger kept a distance away from Ludwig, but continued to walk in the same direction as him. It came to the point where they were both at the apartments, and Ludwig hastily turned to him.

"Will you stop following me before I call the police?"

"Please don't! I live here!" Before Ludwig could reply, the stranger whimpered something under his breath, and ran down the hallway to his room.

Ludwig felt guilt rise in his chest. He thought about trying to apologize to him, but who knew if he would even open the door. His parents most likely were going to worry if he wasn't home soon.

He went upstairs to his apartment door. Immediately his parents barraged him with questions, and Ludwig explained he became sidetracked. Since the next day would be Saturday, Ludwig decided it would be best to try and apologize then.

After dinner, Ludwig headed to his bedroom with his brother Gilbert following him. He was quite annoyed about the situation; his older brother was twenty-one, had no job, and was not in college. He used to stay in his parent's basement, but after moving the two shared a room.

"So Ludwig," Gilbert began, "what _were_ you doing to become so 'sidetracked'?" Gilbert uncomfortably got close to Ludwig, causing him to take a step back.

"Reading outside."

"Eh? But it's raining!"

"And that's when I went home." Ludwig sighed. He decided not to mention what else happened.

A grin crept its way onto Gilbert's face. "Nerd!"

The next day Ludwig quickly got dressed. His parents left for work and Gilbert was watching television. He told his brother he would be out for a bit, and then left.

Many thoughts raced through Ludwig's head. What if he went to the wrong room number? What if nobody was home, or his apology wasn't accepted? Ludwig stood outside the door that he saw the stranger scurry into. He was standing there for quite some time, trying to gain the courage to knock on the door.

The door eventually opened without Ludwig having to do anything. The same face that he saw before was there, eyes confused.

Ludwig pondered on how to explain himself. "I wanted to say sorry for threatening you last night."

The stranger tilted his head and then chuckled. "Oh, you're fine! Would you like to come in?"

Ludwig nodded. "Alright, but it looked like you were about to leave. What is your name?"

"I was just going to have a morning stroll, that's all. Having company is _way_ more fun! We just can't wake up my brother, he'll get cranky at me!" he explained to Ludwig. "And my name is Feliciano!"

"I'm Ludwig," he said, offering a small smile.

Feliciano stepped aside to let him go in. "Nice to meet you, Ludwig!"

* * *

 **A/N:** I shouldn't be starting another story but I just had to do this! I've been trying to start a GerIta story for a while! Sorry this first chapter is uneventful though, I promise it will get better! And I know this chapter is super short, but the next ones will be much longer (I already have a few done). Reviews and constructive criticism are appreciated! Thank you for reading!


	2. My Life

**A/N:** I was deciding whether to post this next week or just post it now… And I ended up doing it now! Personally I can not wait for this story to start progressing soon, I have quite a lot of things planned out for it! See you guys next chapter!

* * *

Ludwig stared at clock in his classroom, waiting for the red hand to go around one more time. He luckily was able to finish all of his homework he had during his free class. Once the bell finally rang, he rushed out of his class in an attempt to beat the incoming crowd of students.

Since they had met, Feliciano wanted to hang out with Ludwig every day. Usually they would just talk for a bit, but this time Feliciano wanted to do something else. They both decided that they would meet up at the park nearby his school.

Once he was there, Ludwig sat on a picnic table. He waited for Feliciano for quite some time. He watched children come and go, and just when he was about to leave, Feliciano came sprinting.

"Ludwig, I'm _so_ sorry!" Feliciano panted. "First I lost track of time, and then my brother got really mad at me, like _scary_ mad and then—"

Ludwig chuckled. "You're fine."

Feliciano gave out a long sigh of relief. He then sat next to Ludwig and faced towards him. It appeared to Ludwig that Feliciano was trying to think up a conversation, until something popped in his mind.

"So, I was wondering, Ludwig," Feliciano began, "How come your family let's you come home late each night? Don't they ever worry about what you're doing?"

"I could ask you the same," Ludwig answered. "But usually my parents think I'm at the library or studying with a friend. As long as I'm home by eight, they're fine with what I do."

Feliciano nodded as he listened. "I only live with my brother. He gets mad at me a lot when I leave or ask him if I can. I like to go on walks to get my mind off of certain things. How come you were reading in the rain anyways?"

"It wasn't raining the whole time, which you probably realized too!" Feliciano tended to tease Ludwig about the matter.

"I watched the weather forecast though."

"Not everyone has time to watch it." Feliciano responded with a giggle. Something that differentiated the two was how cheerful Feliciano was. Ludwig could never understand how he was able to constantly smile.

When two children got off of the swings, Feliciano immediately sprang up. He quickly ran over to them and motioned for Ludwig to follow him.

Ludwig blinked a few times, and slowly made his way towards Feliciano. He was already sitting in one of the swings, kicking at the gravel below him.

When he sat in the swing next to Feliciano, he heard it make a loud croak. He wouldn't of been surprised if he ended up breaking it.

"Some schools have playgrounds like these," Feliciano said with a sigh.

Another thing Ludwig learned about Feliciano was how invested he was with school. He never told Ludwig if they went to the same place, but always talked about wanting to take an art class. Feliciano always seemed interested in what Ludwig did each day in school, oddly. What confused him the most were the stories that Feliciano told of him slacking off in something, and yet complained about _not_ having any homework.

Soon Feliciano began to swing, and Ludwig joined him. The two stayed silent for some time until Feliciano jumped off. He explained that he wanted to do some other things before they would leave.

Ludwig wished he could get into this as much as Feliciano could. He watched his new friend go down the slides and play on the monkey bars. Feliciano offered Ludwig multiple times to join him, but he declined each time.

It seemed like Feliciano became bored with what he was doing. He strolled over to Ludwig, and they decided it was about time for them to go home before it started to become dark.

They had a few different conversations on the way. He learned that Feliciano had another friend that Ludwig _had_ to meet at some point. Ludwig decided to tell Feliciano about his older brother who was a NEET, but he was planning on helping him get a job at some point.

Feliciano began talking about his brother again, and he sounded like quite the character to Ludwig. The conversation eventually led to the topic of school once more.

"What is it about school that you like so much, Feliciano?"

Feliciano paused. "School is where you get to meet and make a whole bunch of different friends. I wish I were going to school…" he said, his voice trailing off.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, it's nothing!" Eventually Feliciano began to hum a little melody. Ludwig assumed that Feliciano meant that he was homeschooled.

Soon they reached the apartment complex and they chatted about what they would do next time they met up. Feliciano suggested the park again or seeing a new movie that came out as long if his parents were fine with it. Ludwig had no reason not to oblige to the ideas, so he decided that he would ask. Before they would depart, Feliciano asked if Ludwig would give him a hug. He wasn't used to being asked for hugs, but he let Feliciano do so.

Feliciano hugged Ludwig lightly, but it was for a few moments. "Thank you for hanging out with me today!" Feliciano smiled after letting go of him. Feliciano said that every time, but Ludwig could never _not_ smile when he did.

After saying goodnight Ludwig went to his room. He sat on his bed for some time, contemplating his afternoon. He was surprised to know someone as kind as Feliciano. His golden eyes reminded him of sunshine, his body figure was the opposite of Ludwig's brawny one—slim, and he was always beaming.

Ludwig then realized that Feliciano was cute.


	3. Valentine

**A/N:** Here is chapter 3! Sorry for such the late update, I was in Japan for a few weeks and I just got back. Thank you everyone that has reviewed so far! This chapter is a bit short, but chapter 4 is where the plot will start to pick up!

* * *

Ludwig heaved, nervously waiting for Feliciano to come over. He was going to bring over Kiku, a commonly mentioned friend from Feliciano.

It had been almost a month since Ludwig had realized his feelings towards Feliciano. He was never able to gain the courage to tell him. Feliciano generally showed an interest towards girls; he told Ludwig stories about dates he went on.

There were a few knocks on the door and Ludwig opened it. Feliciano excitedly waved a greeting and motioned at Kiku to follow him inside.

Unlike Feliciano, Kiku appeared to be solemn. He gave Ludwig a small smile and bowed, saying, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ludwig. Feliciano talks about you all the time."

While it didn't show on his face, Ludwig was surprised that Feliciano mentioned him a lot. Ludwig returned his introduction to Kiku and soon the three sat in the kitchen, chatting about numerous things. From what Ludwig learned, Kiku and Feliciano were childhood friends, and while they did not go to school together, they always kept in contact.

"Since it's almost Valentine's Day," Feliciano began, "do you guys have anything planned?"

"I have to work." Kiku responded with a sigh.

Feliciano's eyes lit up and he turned to Ludwig. "Kiku has a _really_ cool job though! He models! He can also sew and—"

"Feliciano." Kiku whispered, obviously becoming embarrassed by the praise he was receiving.

"But it is cool! I can't wait to see the day when you're super famous!"

They all continued to chat until Kiku had to leave. Feliciano and Ludwig waved goodbye to him and soon Ludwig began to ponder on what they could do next.

Feliciano already seemed to have the answer, as he began to stare at the fridge.

"If you're hungry, you can take whatever you would like."

"Thank you!" Feliciano grinned. He immediately went through Ludwig's refrigerator, and while his expression ended up with disappointment, he didn't say anything. He grabbed a few yogurt containers and sat down again next to Ludwig.

"Would you like me to make you something?" Ludwig offered.

Feliciano tilted his head. "Could you make any pasta?"

Ludwig internally groaned, realizing he should have made some before Feliciano even came over. Feliciano eyed him the whole time as he began to set things up.

While the water was boiling, Feliciano dug into the yogurt and began speaking. "I never heard about what you were doing for Valentine's Day!"

"I never do anything that day." Ludwig answered. "What about you?"

Ludwig could tell that Feliciano wanted him to ask, as his leg began to shake in excitement. "Well since it's on a weekend this year I want to go to a restaurant. And then I was thinking about giving all of our neighbors chocolates, don't you think that's a good idea?"

"It's a great idea, I'm sure they will appreciate it." Feliciano smiled at Ludwig's answer.

"In addition to giving out chocolate, I was also thinking about giving this one girl a card, but her older brother is really scary!" Feliciano sighed.

"Is that so?" Ludwig clenched his fists when Feliciano replied with a nod.

"Hm," Feliciano tapped a finger on his head. "Are there any girls that you like, Ludwig?"

Ludwig wanted to say, _'There is someone, but they're not a girl. It's you'._ Instead, he simply replied by telling Feliciano no.

Feliciano didn't continue on with the matter.

Afterwards the two ended up watching television together. Ludwig noted how peaceful the room was without his brother being home for once. Feliciano was eating the pasta that Ludwig prepared. He was already on his fourth plate, which somehow managed to surprise Ludwig.

Once he was done eating, Feliciano offered to help clean up but Ludwig declined his offer. Since Feliciano was his guest, Ludwig didn't want him to do any extra work. Ludwig also liked to make sure things were thoroughly cleaned, which he was sure Feliciano would think it was some strange tic of his.

Eventually Feliciano's phone began to vibrate. "Hi Lovi!" he spoke into his phone. Feliciano began speaking in a tongue that Ludwig did not know, which he assumed was Italian. After a few minutes Feliciano let out a long sigh and turned off his phone. "I have to go."

Ludwig nodded. "Should I walk you down?"

"If you'd like!"

Ludwig walked Feliciano down to his room. Feliciano gave Ludwig a quick hug, but before he went inside Ludwig stopped him.

"Uh, Feliciano. You know how earlier you asked me if there's any girls I like?"

Feliciano nodded. "So there is someone?"

Ludwig paused. He took a deep breath in and continued on. "No there isn't, but may I tell you a secret? What if…" Ludwig caught himself having trouble to continue on, as his words got twisted. "…What if I told you that I am not interested in women?"

Feliciano blinked a few times, but he immediately caught onto the point that Ludwig was trying to make. "You mean that you—"

"Yes."

After a few moments of silence, Feliciano giggled. "Can I also tell you a secret?" He didn't wait for Ludwig's response. Feliciano crept towards Ludwig and he stood on his tiptoes to reach Ludwig's ears. "I also like men."

Ludwig stood there in sudden awe. Feliciano backed away from Ludwig and gave him a wave goodbye. "I really have to go now, but thank you for letting me come over! Oh, and also the food! It was really good!" Feliciano then went into his room.

All Ludwig could do was stare at the door where Feliciano once was.


	4. Revelation

" _Happy Valentine's Day!"_

Ludwig relived the moment of Feliciano giving him a box of chocolate, before scurrying off. Besides texting each other a few times, he hadn't seen Feliciano since, which was last on the weekend.

Ludwig waited for the bell of his last class to ring, thinking how nice it was for it to be Friday. Once he was out, he contemplated on whether he would go to the library or back home. Ludwig's phone vibrated a few times, and he found out that it was Feliciano texting him.

' _hey ur out of school now right?'_

Ludwig quickly texted back, _'Yeah, I'm out.'_

' _oh cool! i thought i would u let know that theres this new smoothie place around there. the smoothies r good but whats cool is that the owners bring their dogs and theyre really cute! i know u like dogs so i bet u would love it.'_

' _Hm, that sounds interesting. I'll be sure to check it out some time. Are you doing anything?'_

Feliciano didn't respond to Ludwig's text for some time. He eventually texted him a 'no'. Ludwig asked him if he wanted to do anything, and after some time again Feliciano agreed to the idea.

Feliciano was already waiting outside once Ludwig made it back to the apartments. He gave Ludwig a wave and came towards him. The first thing Ludwig noticed about Feliciano was that he was very pale. Feliciano merely explained that he had a cold and he would be fine going out.

They ended up going to the smoothie shop. Ludwig understood what Feliciano meant about the dogs; they were small dogs, but they _were_ cute. Once they had their smoothies, they sat down at a small table. Feliciano frowned and began to play with his straw, looking as if he was going to vomit.

"Are you alright?" Ludwig asked. "We could leave if you'd like."

Feliciano looked down at his cup and then to Ludwig. "…Could we leave? I guess I'm sicker than I thought, sorry!"

Ludwig inclined his head. "Yes, that's fine. You don't have to apologize though!"

Ludwig and Feliciano walked back to the apartments. "I'll see you tomorrow?" Feliciano questioned, tilting his head.

"If you would be feeling okay, sure. But you should probably rest."

"I may do that!" Feliciano said, giving an awkward chuckle. He made his way towards his door and opened it. "See you!"

After watching Feliciano go inside, Ludwig reached into his pocket to grab his phone. _I still have time to go to the library for a bit,_ Ludwig noted to himself after checking the time. He had approximately three hours before it would close.

 _Shatter!_

The sound of something breaking came from Feliciano's room. It possibly could have been an act of clumsiness from the Italian, or something that his older brother was doing. Just to make sure he was fine, Ludwig decided to check on him. He knocked a few times on the door. "Feliciano, are you alright?"

The only response was silence.

Ludwig then gripped the doorknob, contemplating whether to open it or not. This was too eerie for him; he couldn't hear a sound. Not even the usual mumbles he heard when he came to visit, or the sounds of Feliciano's brother shouting about something.

In the end Ludwig opened the door. At first he only peeked his head inside, but then he made his way inside when he didn't see anyone. "Feliciano?" Ludwig cooed, still not receiving an answer.

Ludwig walked around until he found Feliciano in the kitchen. There was glass shattered on the floor, and in the middle of it was Feliciano, who was lying on the ground. Feliciano seemed to notice Ludwig's presence, as he tried to hoist himself up, but ended up falling down right away.

Ludwig immediately went to Feliciano's aid. He was unconscious for a few seconds but then came to his senses, his face clearly disorientated. This time Feliciano managed to stand up but his legs were unsteady, so Ludwig helped him walk to a couch. Once he sat down, Feliciano began to hack until he could catch his breath. Ludwig was about to call emergency services until Feliciano stopped him. "Wait, _wait_ … I'm fine."

Ludwig gave Feliciano an unsure glance. "Is your head feeling alright? Would you like water?"

"Mhm, it's fine. And yes please."

He went to the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water. Feliciano shakily began to drink out of the cup, but in the end he ended up wheezing until he could catch his breath again. Ludwig sat next to him as Feliciano began to calm down.

"Sorry if I worried you," sighed Feliciano. "Luckily Lovino isn't here so he didn't see that happen again."

"Again?"

Feliciano took a breath in, realizing his slip-up. "I didn't want you to know but… People like me don't live that long."

 **. . .**

After a morning at the gym, Ludwig couldn't help but think about the previous day. In the end he helped out Feliciano by cleaning up the glass mess. Apparently he was trying to get water, but in the end he collapsed. Feliciano pleaded with Ludwig to not tell Lovino about what happened. Ludwig tried to learn more about the situation, but Feliciano showed that he was uncomfortable by frowning at his questions or trying to change the subject.

Ludwig decided to text Feliciano. It was a long shot for whether he would respond, but Ludwig had to try.

' _Hey, how are you doing?'_

Within a few minutes, Feliciano responded. _'good! Kiku just came over and we were going to do something. Do u want to come over?'_

Ludwig stared at his phone for a few seconds, baffled. _'Sure.'_

When he arrived, the one to open the door was Kiku. "Hello, Ludwig."

"Hello," Ludwig glanced around the room. "Where's Feliciano? Is he alright?"

Kiku nodded. "He's getting some things."

Ludwig took a relieved breath in. Kiku led him to the couch, and they both sat down together.

"Did Feliciano tell you about last night?"

Kiku shook his head. "No, what happened?"

Ludwig went over the gist. He explained how Feliciano was pale when they hung out, to the moment he collapsed.

Kiku stayed silent before deciding to explain some things. "Feliciano has been battling an illness for a few years, and it recently went terminal."

Ludwig's eyes widened. _I wish I knew earlier,_ he thought. If he did, he could have seen what was going to happen.

"Feliciano doesn't want people to know though," Kiku started, as if he read Ludwig's mind. "He doesn't like people worrying about him."

A few minutes later Feliciano came into the room. He was carrying a few small canvases and slowly sat them down. "Ludwig, you're here! I didn't even hear you!" Feliciano grinned. "I thought we could paint!"

They each carried a canvas out to the balcony. Feliciano was a gifted painter; he was already painting perfect shades. He helped out Kiku a few times, who was getting the hang of using a canvas. While Ludwig was good at drawing, he had no idea with what he was doing while painting.

Soon Kiku had to leave due to his schedule. Both Ludwig and Feliciano walked him out, and Feliciano offered to save his painting to work on it later.

Ludwig and Feliciano began to clean up. Feliciano showed him where to store the paintings, and how to handle them. Ludwig managed to get a glimpse of Feliciano's previous paintings. They awed him; even from what he saw they were great. They had vibrant colors and great details.

Feliciano finished cleaning out the balcony. "Do you want something to eat?" he asked once Ludwig came back out.

"I'm fine, thank you though."

Feliciano turned on the television. As he surfed through channels, Ludwig tried to think of something to say. "How did you and Kiku meet?"

"We met in elementary school."

Feliciano turned the channel into some romance drama show. Ludwig wasn't a fan of the genre, but he told Feliciano he was fine with the show.

They both watched in silence. The couple in the show both began to cry outside in the rain, but in the end they started to make out. The show then cut to commercials.

"You're a really good painter! How long have you been painting?" Ludwig asked, deciding to take advantage of the commercial break.

"Thank you! And I've been painting since I was little. I think I was five when I started." Feliciano smiled.

"That's great," Ludwig paused for a moment. Feliciano acted completely normal despite what had happened. Even with what Kiku told him, he couldn't help but worry. "If you don't mind answering, could you at least tell me why you don't want your brother to know what happened?"

Feliciano's smile instantly turned into a frown, and he glanced downwards, not responding. Ludwig didn't go further into matter.

Ludwig came to an understanding that the topic was too sensitive for his friend. "Feliciano, I just want you to know that I'll always be here for you whenever you need me."

Feliciano still stared down at the ground. He squeezed his hands, but softly whispered, "Thanks."

* * *

Note: Feliciano's illness is completely fictional.


	5. Secret

"That was so cool! Thank you for taking us!" Feliciano commented, latching onto Kiku to give him a big hug.

"You're welcome." Kiku responded.

Ludwig recalled back to what had happened. From what he learned Feliciano wanted to see Kiku's first photo shoot. Since it was Friday, Feliciano decided to try and convince Kiku to let him and Ludwig see his shoot. Feliciano's enthusiasm surprised Ludwig. The trio was sitting down on a bench in the park.

"So," Feliciano started, tilting his head. "Those photos are going in a magazine right?"

Kiku nodded, and then Feliciano's eyes lit up. "That's so great! This has to be a dream come true!"

Kiku shyly smiled. Feliciano noticed that Ludwig wasn't talking, so he said, "What's your dream?"

"I'd like to run a bakery." Ludwig answered, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"I didn't know you baked! You should make something for us sometime!" Feliciano exclaimed.

"Alright, I'll do that. What about you? What's your dream?"

" _My_ dream?" Feliciano repeated. He seemed to already know the answer, as he responded quickly. "I'd love it if more people saw my paintings."

"Like a famous artist?" Kiku questioned.

"No, I don't want to be famous. I just want people to feel happy when they see my stuff. Like in elementary school after every art project our teacher would hang our drawings in the hallway. I always thought it was cool seeing everyone's work, and it made me happy!" Feliciano reminisced.

"Does your school not show its artwork?" Ludwig asked Feliciano. His school only displayed artwork from students that received an excellent grade.

"I can't go to school anymore, because… _you know._ Did you guys hear about the lunar eclipse tonight?" Feliciano immediately changed the topic.

Ludwig gave Feliciano a sad look.

They chatted about various things, such as events in current television programs, their hobbies, and more. The sun began to set and they all decided it was time to leave. Ludwig was finally able to share his number with Kiku, and they all left the park.

Like always, Ludwig and Feliciano walked home together. "So… What is school like now anyways?" Feliciano suddenly spoke up. "I've been wondering."

"I guess it really depends on what classes you take." Ludwig answered. He explained the different classes at his school, and what was common during the lunch periods, such as leaving to get your own food, or getting a school lunch. "Prom is also coming up."

Feliciano gaped in complete awe. "That sounds really nice!"

Ludwig explained other things about his school until they made it back. He walked with Feliciano to his door, but Feliciano didn't go inside.

Ludwig could hear Feliciano's brother murmuring about something, which was then followed by silence.

Feliciano rubbed his arm. "Man, I'm going to be in so much trouble!" he stated with a sigh. "I'm going to wait out here until they're done talking. You can leave if you'd like!"

Ludwig shook his head. "I'll wait with you. Who is your brother speaking with?"

"Antonio. He's a social worker. He visits a lot, but I completely forgot he was coming today!" Feliciano groaned.

"Oh, I see." Ludwig said, pondering on how he could help Feliciano out.

"Antonio is super nice though," Feliciano continued on. "It's just that my brother gets upset every time I leave without telling him!"

"What, how come you didn't tell him anyways?"

"He worries," Feliciano sighed again. "Most of the time he says no if I ask—"

"Feliciano." Ludwig cut in, his tone filled with disappointment. "You shouldn't sneak off like that!"

"I know!" Feliciano agreed. "But he expects me to rest all day while he's at work! He's even had neighbors check on me before… I wish he trusted that I can be alone."

"Is that why you won't tell him about you collapsing?"

"Not exactly."

Feliciano closed his eyes. He leaned against the hallway wall and slowly lowered himself to the ground. His voice turned into a whisper as he finally explained himself. "Lovino told me to try and get help or notify him right away if I ever collapsed—that was months ago. I just _can't_ tell him though! If I told him or called medical services, I would go to the hospital," Feliciano then opened his eyes and made direct eye contact with Ludwig. "I'm scared to go there. I'm scared that once I'm there I'll be there for the rest of my life, or that they will tell me how much longer I have to live. I'm _terrified_ , Ludwig!" Feliciano began to tear up, but he tried to force a smile. "It's happened so many times now, but I know how to take care of myself when it happens."

Ludwig tried to speak up, but Feliciano went on. "Do you understand now? Please don't tell Lovino! _Please!_ " Even though Feliciano was still whispering, his voice was shaking.

Feliciano's eyes stayed locked onto Ludwig's, and Ludwig began to feel pity towards him. He knew it wasn't right for something like that to be kept as a secret, but by then Feliciano was completely broken down into tears and trying his best to stay silent.

"Alright," Ludwig mumbled, taking in a deep breath. "I won't say anything."

Feliciano wiped his face, "Really? Do you really mean it?" he said and crawled closer to Ludwig. "Do you promise?" Feliciano asked, holding out his pinkie finger.

"I promise." Ludwig intertwined his pinkie with Feliciano's indicating their promise.

"Thank you," Feliciano said under his breath.

Ludwig let Feliciano calm down. He eventually stood up and lightly set his ear on the door. "I don't hear them so I should probably go inside now."

"Are you feeling better?"

Feliciano nodded. "I'll see you later!"

As soon as Ludwig walked into his room, his brother grabbed his shoulder. "You were hanging out with that Feliciano kid _again?_ It's almost like you two are dating!" he teased.

Ludwig ignored Gilbert. He sat on his bed and his expression became concerned. _I wonder what happened with Feliciano,_ he thought.

"Is something bothering you?"

"It's just that Feliciano has been going through some bad things, and I wish I could do something to make him feel better." Ludwig explained.

Gilbert tilted his head. "Your school's prom is coming up, right? Why don't you try asking him to go with you? I went with Elizabeta and Roderich when I was in high school, going with friends can be fun."

Ludwig realized that none of his family knew he had feelings for Feliciano, but rather they thought they were close friends. The idea of going to prom with Feliciano did sound interesting to Ludwig. "I may try that!" Ludwig agreed to the idea. "Thank you for the suggestion."

"Of course!" Gilbert grinned, giving his brother a wink.

Ludwig came to the decision that he would ask Feliciano to go to prom with him. He didn't have an idea of how he would ask him yet, but he knew he would figure out something.


End file.
